February 7, 2012

Today I was reading about The Hunger Games on the blog of a Christian Young Lady. I was disappointed to read that this book is seemingly just as popular among Christian girls as it is among the standard American teen. I wrote a rather long comment stating my thoughts on the topic of media among Christian girls. Because I feel so passionately about this topic and because I have a large readership of Christian young ladies, I am copying my comment here. This issue is something that needs to be considered by everyone who calls herself a child of the Lord.

I just wanted to take a few minutes to comment on the Hunger Games. I have not, nor do I intend to read, this novel. However, I did see the previews when my husband and I went to see The Iron Lady a few weeks ago. (I highly recommend this story about former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.) Anyway, I was horrified at what I saw in the preview. It turned my stomach a few times over and as I think of it now, it continues to do so. Not reading the book, I can not honestly comment on it but one can safely assume that there is a similar premise between the book and the movie. As I have watched the morals of society decline each year, I am not surprised that this is so popular among the standard American teenager. However, as a Christian woman and mother, I am sad to see Christian young ladies are also so eager to allow this type of media to permeate their hearts and minds. We are to hold ourselves to a higher standard, not to just accept anything that comes along in the pop culture.

Let's read the description of this book.

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

I ask you to consider, what is exhorting or edifying in this? How is God glorified in something like this?

Furthermore, as someone who grew up in a lost world, I can attest to the fact that what you read and watch now, will be in your mind forever. Once it is there, you truly can never get rid of it. And Satan will attempt to use it against you. There are things I read as a lost teenager, which were no where near as evil as this, that still haunt my memory today. I wish I had known the Lord and had the opportunity to avoid such things. Unfortunately, it can not be changed. Yet, I am constantly reading on various blogs written by Christian young ladies about all kinds of trash that they choose to fill their minds and hearts with.

Let's consider some other popular trends I see Christian young ladies taking part in, such as Harry Potter (the Bible is clear that ALL magic is of Satan... end of story) and Twilight (one only needs to look at the cover of the books to see the evil)... you get the picture.

I implore all young ladies to give more careful consideration to the diet you choose for your heart and mind.

Kathleen Wachter

Most of all I am a Christian, wife and home school mom to nine. Here you will find snippets from my life, recipes, tips for child rearing, home schooling advice and moments from our journey with down syndrome.